Load discharging car door mechanism



Aug. 11, 1931. A. CAMPBELL LOAD DISCHARGING CAR DOOR MECHANISM 7 Filed April 19, 1928 a Sheets-Sheet 2 OLQ Z Zn Jera d/J ry le Cam 022d! 1931- A. CAMPBELL 1,818,689

LOAD DISCHARGING CAR DOOR MECHANISM Filed April 19, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 any 5 55 Patented Aug. 11, 1931 EQUIPMENT COMPANY, or CHICAGO, rumors, A oon-roan'rrou orim nvors LOAD nis'cn'nnerne cAnnoon MECHANISM Application filed. 11 1111 19,

8 This invention relates to 'improvementsin load discharging'caridoor mechanlsms, 1

One object oftheinvention is to provide in a dump car efficient and. relatively inex- 5 penslve means which w1ll operate to lock a vas discharge door; at a plurality of locations from a central location.-. I

A particular object of the invention is the provision of adoorlocking shaft carried by a dumping door in such a manner that it will automatically engage with shouldered locking/members on the car structure when the door is moved to closed position.

Still another object ofithe invention is to provide meanslwhereby a door locking shaft carried by a discharge door will operate to locka door in a-partially closed or fully closed position. 1 I

Further my invention resides in certain other featuresand details of construction such as will be hereinafter more'fully. pointed out and claimed. 1 g 1 f i In the drawings forming apart of this specification, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of slightly more than one-half of adump car'of' the so-ealledW-type, showing in elevation my improvements in connection therewith Figure'2 is a side elevational View of a portion-of the car as shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a fractionalsectional and elevational view taken throughthe lower p01 1 tion ofthe door and on a line'corresponding substantially to the line 3-3 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is'a fractional'sectional and elevational viewtaken through the door and on a line correspondingsubstantially to the line 4-4 of Figure 1, saidsectionalview-illus' trating the door in a partially open position.

Figure. 5 is a fractional sectional view taken" through the door on a line corresponding sub- J stantially to theline 55 of Figure l. And Figure 6 is a fractional sectional view taken through the. dooron a line corresponding substantiallyto the line 6&6 of Figure 4.11 A

7 As shown in thedraWin-gs lOdenotes one of the side walls of the car, llone oftheside stakes v12 oneofthe channels employed to make up the girder centersillof wellknown form, and 13 a longitudinallyv extending reins 1928. Serial m3; 271,146.

forcing angle member for the side wall 10 of the car. 1 I

As customary in the W-type of car a transversely extending ridge is formed by the ridge sheet '14, it being understood that there 7 are a plurality of hoppers in the car, two "on each side ofthe centersill and hinged in pairs transversely of the car. Each of said hoppers is defined by a longitudinal sloping hopper sheet 15, a vertical inner side hopper sheet 16 and an outside hopper sheet 17, the latter sloping inwardly towards the longitudinal center line of the car and having its margin bent outwardly as indicated at 18 and thence "substantially in the generaldirection' of the main plate asindicatedat 19, said bend 18 provlding'an abutment for the door. I

Each discharge opening in the bottom of the car shown in thedrawings is adapted to be closed by a sheet metal door A whichris preferably flanged at its-margins so as to provide a top horizontal-1y extending flange 20,

"inner side flanges 21andouter'side flange 22, landadjacentthe'free edge of the door there is provided a'reinforcing beam 28 which is preferably int'he form of a2, and spaced a limited distance from the free edge of the door said flanges 20,21 and-22 being pressed outwardly in the same general direction from the main plane of the door. The dooriA is pivotally attached by suitable hingebraces '24 to hingebrackets 25 carried bythe lower" edge ofthe transversely extending ridge sheet 14, the I latter (being suitably "reinforced by means of an'angle meinber26, The hinge;

braces 24: may-consist of heavy strap 1ne1fn- PATENT OFFIC I ABGYLE oAMrBiiLLfoF CH CAGO, rumors, assreuoa 1T0 ENTERPRISE RAILWAY bers which extend from the hinge end of the doorfor a considierable distance towards the free edge thereof; a 8 i f 1 The door operating mechanism b1'oadly.in-;:; eludes a bodily movable shaft B loosely 8' {mounted in bearings C and D, the latter being rigidly secured to the door, and the shaft B-projects beyond the respective ends of the door and cooperates with shouldered brackets M; E and F. Rigidly mounted onthe shaft B on-adjacent ends of the, door are shaft actuating elements G and H, which co-operate v with the respective bearings G and Din a manner to be hereinafterdescribed. The;

bearings C and D and shaft actuating elements G and H on the respective ends of the door, as will be noted, face in opposite directions but are otherwise similar in general formation, except that the respective members D and H on the outer end of thedoor have associated therewith a locking cam J and a lug K for the purpose of holding the shaft against movement when the mechanism is in locked position; similar reference characters will be utilized to designate like parts of the two constructions.

The shaft B, which is preferably of circular section, extends outwardly beyond the side flanges 21 and 22 of the door, and is preferably formed adjacent its outer end with a squared section 27, whereby the shaft may be engaged by a suitable operating tool for the purpose of rotating and actuating the shaft.

The bearingsC and -D within which the shaft is mounted are each formed with a base portion 28 rigidly secured to the door plate proper and to the door beam 23, and outstanding from said base portion is a main web portion 29 having a perforation or slot 30 formed therein. Each of said perforations 30 is of generally elongated form to permit of movement of the shaft B in a substantial.- ly vertical direction and is also. of sufficient width to permit of lateral movement. The inner wall 31 of said perforation is disposed substantially parallel with the main plane of the door, and the outer wall 32 of said slot is deflect-ed inwardly as at 132 for the purpose of providing a perforation of restricted size adjacent the upper portion thereof, so that when the shaft is moved upwardly in the slot it will also be moved inwardly towards the door.

The lower and upper walls of the slot 30 which are indicated at 33 and 34 respectively, are extended beyond the inner wall 31 of the slot, and together with the outer wall 32 form a continuous rim which provides a bOX shaped bearing, the upper wall 34 being of 'arcuate shape and subtending the angle formed by the angularly related walls 32 and 33. To one side of the saidbox bearing and preferably substantially in alignment with the inner wall 31 of the perforation there is disposed a door supporting seat 35, which is adapted to register with the associated door actuating element as will be hereinafter described.

The shaft actuating elements G and H being of the same general construction with the exception of the lug K added to the member H, the description will be confined to one member only. Each element includes a hub portion 36 extending lengthwise of the shaft and fixedly united therewith by means of a plurality of rivets 37. Formed integrally with the said hub portion 36 and spaced from each other lengthwise of the shaft are an opposed in different angular relation from each other, as indicated by the angle 40 which extends through slightly more than 90 degrees.

The door operating arm 38 is disposed in alinement with the arcuate rim 34 of the associated bracket and is preferably formed on its outer end with a rim 41 of arcuate shape preferably concentric with the axis of the shaft B.

The opposite sides 42 and 43 of the arm present faces which are respectively adapted to engage with the angularly related walls 32 and 33 for the purpose of limiting the turning movement of the shaft. The door supporting arm 39 is disposed in alignment with the door seat 35 .and is formed with a curved rim 44, the latter being disposed at a greater distance from the axis of the shaft than the periphery of the hub and united therewith by substantially straight side portions 45-45 which extend tangentially to said hub.

The shouldered brackets E. and F which respectively engage with the projecting ends of the shaft are preferably firmly riveted to cal position of the door, the shaft will normally gravitate to the lower portion of the slots. Y

Any suitable means may be employed for locking the shaft against rotation and against bodily movementbut the preferred manner is to mount a cam J on a bushing 49 formed integrally with the outer of the bearings 28 1 as shown, said cam being adapted to register with a projection shaft. 7 g

The cam isadapted to be retained in operative position by a washer 50 and rivet 51.

K' fixed relatively to the Endwise movement of the shaft is prevented due to the fact 'thatthe respective actuating elements and their associated bearings on the opposite ends of the door face in opposite directions. i

The operation of the device is as follows: Assuming the doors to be locked and closed as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the operator first disengages the cam J from its engagement with the associated lug K and moves said cam to an overbalanced position into engagement with the web 29.- A suitable opcrating-tool or wrench is thenapplied-to the squared end 27 of the shaft B and the shaft rotated in a clockwise directionthrough an approgrimately 90 degrees, until such time as the face 43 comes into contact with tliejlower waljlfi of the box bearing. During said rotation of' the'shaft' the door support ing' arm 39 is moveddownwardly and the curved rim 44 moved away from its engagement with the associated seat 35 on the door, whichoperation results in the door opening to the position'in Figure 4, when the door is tion of the bearings. g p

I The closing operation of the door is as follower The "operator swings the door towards closed position in any suitable manner, bntpreferably by applying a pole in a push pole pocket,asin'di'cateid' at'510 inFigure 1.," As the door is movedl towards closed position the shaft rides onthe bevel ap proach'48"of the respective keepers and; "caused to move upwardly in the slots the 'two ends 0f the shaft being lifted simulta-' 'neously. As the shaft is moved upwardly in "the slots it is also caused: to" move inwardly 'towardsthe door due to the inwardly deflected portion 132 of the'outer wall 32. V The shaft then drops behind the respective shoulfders'i47 'ofthe brackets 'to the position indicated in'Figure 4, and the door is then supported in a: partially closed position on the p'eriphery'of the hub 36. The operator then rotates the shaft in a counterclockwise difraction, the shaft rotating in its bearings on shouldered. brackets, "and th'e door is movedfrom a partially closed to a fully closed position by reason of the fact that th'e main supportingseat44'on the'arm 39 is disposed at a' greater. distance fro nthe axis ofrotat-i on of the shaft than the preliminary 'supportingsurface 36. During such rotation 'of'the shaft'therim 41 of the door operating armf 38emoves substantially concentrically 'witlrtheiinner surface 34 of the bearing, and thusirestraiins theshaft. again st displacement relatively to the, keepers. The rotation" of "the'shaft'iscontinued until suchtime as the surface 42 onth-e shaft operating arm is in contact with the outer wall 32 of the box bearing. Thereafter the operator throws the locking'dogJ in engagement. with the. prol i0nK, and theshaft is, securely locked against displacementv I 'This'arrangement of thus fuloruming the bodily movable shaft'on afixed' abutment on the c'ar'stru-cture, and wedging the'fdoor from one position to the other "by a rotary move; ment of the shaft provides for greatly multiplied leverage, is conducive to speedand ease of operation andprovides the necessary multiplied power for compensating for irregularities in manufacture or Warped doors.

' While I have herein shown and described whatI now considerthe preferred manner of carrying. out'my invention,'the' same is merely illustrativei and'. I contemplate all changes and'modification's which come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim 1.;n1 arailway "car, the combination with the body of a discharge door;a shouldered locking keepercarriedby the carstructure'; a

bodily displ'aceable" shaft carriedby' and rotatable inineans' on said door providing slots,

said'sh a ft being'a'dapted to normally gravitate bodily to a position in the lower portion of said slots when said door is'open; means associatedwith the keeper for displacing said shaft from its normal os'ition in the slots,

said meansincluding a evel runway formed On'the keeper andnormall disposed in the path of the shafti'as the oor is moved to closed position, andmeahs actuated bythe rotation ofsaid shaft/for locking the door in closed position; v

2. In a railway car, the combination with a dumping doom akeeper-fixedly mounted upon the car structure, said'keeper having a lockingshoulder;a locking shaft carried by said door, said shaft being rotatable and havingabodily movement of translation and beingautomatically engageable with said lockioo ing shoulder when'jsaid door is closed; and

means for locking the shaft against bodily movement; i 3. In. a railway car, the combinationwith a body'inember; of a dumping door member;

a keepercarrie'dby one of said members; a

shaft carried by the other of saidmembe'rs,

locked relatively to the keeper. in a partiall closed or a fully'closed position, said shaf t keeperto lookthe door in partially closed position; and means for'movfing the door from one shaft. v I V 4. Ina railway car,' the combination with'a.

resi i'esi h hel y f ta pn f i discharge opening; ofa dooradapt ed to close said opening; a shouldered keeper mounted said shaftbeingadapted to have a. bodily... "movement of translation relatively to its associated member, .w hereby the door may be.

being automatically. 'engageable with sna on the car structure; a bodily translatable shaft mountedupon'the door, said shaft be,- ing engageable with the shoulderon the 'keep- 7 )er and. formed with door-engaging.seats disposed at. varying distances from its axis of rotation whereby the shaft will maintain the door in a partially or fully closed position.

Y 5; In a'railwaycar, the'combination with:

a dischargedoor," of "a shouldered keeper, a

loosely mounted locking element carried b the door and engageable with the keeper, sai locking element being adapted to have a movement of translation along the face of the keepor and also in the direction of movement of I the door, said locking element being adapted to maintain the door in a partially closed pokeeper when sition upon first engaging with. the keeper; and a projection fixedly mounted upon the locking element, said projection being adapted to assume a position between the locking element and the door to lock the door in fully closed position.

6. In a railway car, the combination with the body of the car; of a door mounted thereon for swinging movement; a keeper carried by the car body; abodily movable and dislaceable shaft carried by the door, said shaft being displaceable for a limited distance in the direction of movement of the door and also at an angle to the direction of movement of the doorand being automatically engageable with said keeper when the door is closed, and means adaptedto assume a position between the shaftand the door for the purpose of restricting movement of the shaft in the direction of movement of the door.

7 In a railway car, the combination with the body and a dumping door normally urged to open position under the influence of gravit of a shouldered keeper carried by thebo y slotted brackets carried 'by the door; a shaft extending within said slotted brackets, said shaft being movable with reference to said door and automatically movable into locking engagement with the shouldered said door is closed; and means actuated by movement of the shaft for effecting the movement of the shaft in the slotted brackets. i

8. In a railway car, the combination with the body thereof; of a discharge door; shouldered keepers disposed at the respective ends of the door; a locking shaft movably carried by the door, said shaft having extensions projecting beyond the ends of the door, said extensions being automatically engageable with the shoulders on the keepers when said door is moved to closed position; and means actuated by movement of the shaft adapted to block the movement of the shaft relatively to the. door, said means including a fixed element carried by the shaft and adapted to assume a position intermediate the shaft and an abutment on the door.

9 In a railway car,-the combination with a body and a discharging door; of a locking shaft adapted to have a bodily movement of translation in the path of movement of the door and at anangle thereto; a shouldered locking keeper'adapted toengage with said I shaft to maintain the door in closed position,

said shaft being mounted to gravitate'into a locking position with reference to said keeper when said door is closed; and means actuated by movement of said shaft adapted to restrain movement of the shaft relatively to the keeper and door,saidmeans including projecting portions fixed relatively to the shaft and adapted to simultaneously assume positions intermediate the shaft and portions of the door thereby providing blocking means, in the respective paths of movement of said shaft.

10. In a railway car door, the combination with a locking shaft carried by the door and adapted to have bodily movement with respectthereto; of a keeper carried by the car structure and adapted-to cooperate with the said element for locking the door in a partially or fully closed position, said shaft being automatically engageable with said keeperduring closing movement of said door, and means for inducing movement between the door and the carbody by rotation of the shaft, said means including a projection on the shaft adapted to engage with a seating element on the door, and means for confining the shaft against bodily movement during the rotation of the shaft foreifecting movementofthe door from a partially to a fully closed position.

11. In a railway car, the combination with a discharge door and a shouldered keeper; of a shaft carried by the door, said shaft having fixedly mounted thereon an operating arm and a door raising arm, said arms being disposed in different angular relations relatively tothe axis of the shaft and spaced from each other lengthwise of the shaft; abutments on the door cooperable with the opposite sides of the operating arm, one of said abutments being for the purpose of limiting turningmovement of the shaft in one direction and the other of said abutments being for the purpose of engaging with the operating arm for initiating bodily movement of the shaft when rotated in the opposite direction and means acting upon the outer end of said operating arm for restraining bodily movement of the shaft when rotated in one direction. 7

12. In a railway car, the combination with the body thereof and a discharge door; of a shouldered keeper carried by one of the parts; a bodily movable and rotatable shaft carried by the other of said parts and automatically engageable with said keeper during closing movement of said door, said locking shaft having an arm fixed relatively thereto adapted to engage with the door for the purelongated s1ot,"sa id, slots being formed to provide for bodilymovement of the shaft in a plane substantially normal to the door andalso .in a. substantially parallel plane with respect to; said door; a plurality-of projeCtionsca-rried by the shaft, one of said promotions being adapted to engage behind the door to maintain the same in locked posi-,

namedprojection being also adapted to engage with a fixed abutment to displace the shaft from its engagement withthe shouldered bracket,saidprojections on the respec tive endsof the door being disposed on opposite sides of the slots whereby the shaft is maintained against endwise vmovement. I

14L.v In a railwaycar, the combination with the body thereof and a discharge door; ofa shouldered keeper carried by one of the parts; a bodily movable and rotatableshaft carried by the other of said parts, saidlocking shaft having apluralityof projecting arms in fixed relation to said shaft and .disposed in different angular) relations relative- 1y to the axis of the shaft, said arms being spaced from each other lengthwise of the shaft; one of said arms operating as an actuating element for the locking shaft and the other-of said arms acting as a door-raising means ;-s1otted brackets within which the said locking shaftis mounted, one ofsaid brackets having abox vbearing presenting a continuous rim disposed in-theplane ofand enclosing the operating arm, the contour of said rim 'being defined by two angularly related walls and an; arcuate shaped wallsubtending said angularly related walls, said respective angularly disposed walls presenting abutments to respectively engage on opposite sides of the operating arm for limiting the turning'movement of the'locking element, and said arcuate shaped wallibeing adapted to act upon the outer end of'the; arm

for the purpose ofre'strainingthe locking shaft against bodily movement relatively to the" keeper during engagement of the door raising arm with the door.

- 15. In a railway car ,door locking device, the combination with a discharge door; of a shouldered keeper mounted upon the car structure; a door locking shaft mounted on the door adapted to normally assume a locking position with respect to the door; means associated with the keeper for displacing the shaft from its locking position as the door is moved toward closed position, said. shaft being also adapted to have a limited degree of bodily movement in the direction of movement of the door, said shaft being adapted to maintain the door in a partially closed position upon first engaging with the keeper;

and means associated with the shaft and door for inducing relative movement between the door and-shaftfor the'purpose of forcing l the doorto a'fnlly closedposition by rotation of the shaft.

mounted u on the'car structure, said shoulder on the eeper being adaptedfor engagev ment with said shaft for maintaining the door in closed position; guides upon the door within which said shaft vis mounted, said guides having slots vformed therein toperinit of movement of the shaft invertical and horizontal directions means. associated with said guide andshaft'for confiningthe movement of the shaftin the slots against lateral movement during a partial revolution of the shaft; and means associated with said door and shaft fordisplacing the shaft from its locked !position; said means including an abutmentcarriediby the doorand an arm mounted on the shaft, saidarm having one side thereof engageable with the abutment. 17; In a railway'car, the combination with a car body member and a dumpdoor member; of keeper means carried'byone of said members; a translatable operatingshaft carried bylthe other ofsaid members and automati- 3 cally engageablein the manner of a latch with said keeper means when said door is closed; and means onsaid shaft 'for movingthe latter with reference to the member carrying the same when the shaft is rotated.

18'. In a railway car, the combination. with v 16. In a railway car, the combination with '70 a body and dumping door ;I of a shaft mounted upon the door; a shouldered keeper a 'car body member and a dump door mem-, I

ber; of keeper means carried by oneof said members; a translatable shaft carried by the other of said members and automatically engageable in the manner of a latch with said keeper means when said door is closed; and

means for locking and shifting said shaft with reference to said keeper meansthrough $1.1:I

rotation of said, shaft. 7 v V '19. In a railway car, the combination with afcar body; ,of'a swinging door therefor; keeper means on said car body; a bodily shiftable rotatable shaft carried by said door and automatically h engageable with said keeper in themanner of a latch when the door is moved to closedpositio'n, said shaft being movable to a plurality of operative positions with reference to said keeper means so as to a release said door, hold the "same partially closed or completely closed; and means cooperating with saidshaft and actuated by rotation thereof to effect shifting of said shaft to any of saidfoper'ative positions.- a 20. In a railway car door 'locking device, the combination with a car body member and a dump'door member; of keeper means carried by one of said members; a translatable shaft carried by the other ofsaidimembers and automatically engageable in manner of a latch with said keeper means to maintain the door in a preliminary partly closed position; and means for moving'the door to final closed position by the rotation of the shaft, about its axis.

21. In a railway car door locking device, the combination with a car body member and a dump door member; of shouldered keeper means carried by the car body; a translatable shaft carried by the door, said shaft being automatically engageable in the manner of a latch with said shouldered keeper means when said door is closed; means for translating the shaft by rotation thereof; and means for maintaining said shaft against rotation and translatory movement.

22. In a car having a discharge opening and a pivoted door flanged along one of its edges, the combination of a shouldered bracket member secured to a fixed part of the car adjacent said discharge opening; of a bodily movable and rotatable latch member located outwardly beyond the door flange and projecting beyond said flange to engage with the shoulder on the bracket to thereby maintain the door in closed position. I

23. In car construction having a discharge opening, the combination with a 'door having a reinforcing beam member secured to the underside of the door; of a slotted bracket secured to the beam member; a bodily movable and rotatable latch member mounted in said slotted bracket; interengaging means between the latch member and the bracket for imparting bodily movement to the latch member by rotation thereof; and shouldered means on a fixed part of the car adapted to cooperate with the latch member to main tain'the door in closed position, said latch member being automatically engageable in the manner of a latch with said shouldered means. 7

1 24. In a railway car, the combination with a discharge hopper including spaced walls defining the side walls of the hopper and a door disposed intermediatesaid walls; of a reinforcing beam disposed'on the door adjacent the free edge of the door, said beam being of Z-shape with one flange lying against the door andv having the other flange spaced from the door, slotted brackets carried bythe beam, each said bracket being secured to the respective flanges; a latch member bodily movable in the brackets and having portions projecting beyond the hopper side walls; and shouldered keepers carried by the hopper side walls and adapted to engage the projecting portions of the latch member.

25. In a railway car, the combination with a discharge hopper including spaced walls defining the side walls of the hopper and a door disposed intermediate said walls; a stiffening beam of Z-shape extending along the free edge of the door and terminating adjacent the hopper'side walls, said Z-shape having one flange secured to the underside of the door and having the web thereof substantially normal to the plane of the door; slotted brackets secured to the web of the Z-shape member and to the flanges thereof; a bodily movable latch member extending through the slotted brackets; and shouldered keepers carried by the hopper side walls adapted to engage the latch member to maintain the door in closed position. I

26. In a railway car door locking device, the combination of a car body, a dumping door mounted on said car body; shouldered means carried by the car body adjacent an V,

edge of the door; a bodily movable and rotatable latch member carried by the door and projecting beyond an edge of the door to automatically engage with the shouldered means, said latch member being spaced appreciably from the main body of the door; a spacer disposed on the door between the latch member and body of the door, said spacer having a runway on which the latch member is adapted to move; and integral abutment means on the spacer adapted to cooperate with the latch member to move the latter by rotation thereof.

27. In a railway car door locking device, the combination of a car body; a dumping door mounted-on said car body; shouldered means carried by the car body adjacent an edge of'the door; 'a bodily movable and rotatable latch member carried by the door and projecting beyond an edge of the main body of the door and adapted to automatically engage with the shouldered means on the latch member extending outwardly from its axis of rotation and'adapted to seat in the space between the latch member and the body of the door; and abutment means carried by the door and adapted to cooperate with the means on the latch member for the purpose of inducing bodily movement of the latch member when rotated, said abutment means being disposed in the space between the latch member and the body of the door.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 16th day of April, 1928. ARGYLE CAMPBELL. 

